On Friday, March 15 at noon ET, aspiring physicians around the country learned where they would continue their medical training during annual Match Day celebrations.
The UK College of Medicine celebrated Match Day across its four campuses—Bowling Green, Lexington, Northern Kentucky, and Morehead—with 192 students entering some type of match this year.
Of those learners matching this year, 73 will be staying in Kentucky for residency with 59 matching into programs at the University of Kentucky/UK HealthCare.
According to the American Medical Association (AMA), nearly 83 million people in the U.S. live in areas without access to primary care. Kentucky is among those affected by the national physician shortage with seven counties having no practicing primary care doctors at all.
Aspiring physicians like Trevor Hoffman are hoping to change that.
Hoffman will be staying in Kentucky for residency after matching into the family medicine program at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, our clinical partner in the Northern Kentucky region. Hoffman isn’t alone — 42% of his classmates across the College of Medicine’s campuses also matched into a primary care specialty this year.
“With the development of our regional campuses, we have more students continue their training in Kentucky, including at UK. We also have more students going into primary care specialties,” said Stephanie White, MD, MS, senior associate dean for medical student education. “All of this will directly impact future patients across the Commonwealth.”
Doug Nash, a fourth-year student at the UK College of Medicine-Bowling Green Campus, says he is grateful for his Kentucky experience and is ready for the next chapter. Nash is not your traditional medical student. Before applying to medical school, he studied business and hospital administration and spent more than 10 years serving as a U.S. Marine.
Nash will continue his medical training at the University of Arizona Tucson after matching into its orthopaedic surgery residency program.
"I think it's the highest highs and lowest lows I've had my professional career," Nash said, reflecting on the last four years. "So for it all to culminate like this, today feels like – you know when you're a kid and it's Christmas?”
The Class of 2024 still has one more milestone to look forward to: graduation day.
This year’s College of Medicine commencement ceremony will be held Saturday, May 11, at UK’s Singletary Center for the Arts. The event will be live-streamed for family and friends unable to attend in person.